Endocrine Abstracts

Background: The available literature is meagre on relationship of Androgen levels in Coronary Artery Disease (CAD).

Objective: The current study analyzes the androgen levels (Total Testosterone, Free Testosterone, and Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S)) in relation to endothelial dysfunction and graded coronary artery disease.

Design: Serum androgen levels were measured in 112 angiographically proven, stable CAD male subjects, who were assessed by flow mediated dilatation (FMD) of brachial artery using angiodefender device. Estimation of DHEA-S & Total Testosterone (TT) were carried out by electrochemiluminescent immunoassay and Free Testosterone (FT) by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Pearson Correlation, t-Test and multivariate analysis were applied for the analysis of risk factors of coronary artery disease. The Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis test were applied with 95% confidence interval wherever necessary. Probability value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: In our study, FMD provides the information on the extent and the severity of CAD (P<0.0001).The low serum total testosterone level though correlates with cardiovascular risk factors but do not correspond to the severity of CAD viz. single, double and triple vessel disease. Multivariate analysis was applied to analyze the correlation of risk factors of CAD with Model A and B as dealt in methodology. The multivariate results revealed Model A was significant predictor of Dheas and total testosterone values of the patient, whereas the other model was statistically inconclusive. The results also showed significant association between androgen levels and endothelial dysfunction, wherein age being a confounding independent parameter.

Conclusion: It is concluded that age adjusted androgen levels remained confounding factor in atherogenesis, hence also a cardiovascular risk factor of CAD. The subject needs more focus with larger group of patients.